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Dexter: Sunshine and Frosty Swirl

Dexter: "I call it my 'dark passenger'."
Deb: "You gave it a name?"

And the Emmy goes to Jennifer Carpenter, for the last episode and the beginning of this one. Seriously. She was awesome.

I am so very, very cool with this season being about Dexter and his relationship with Deb. Very cool. I don't need a big bad. Forget Ray Stevenson. Seriously. In fact, I could probably watch Dexter and Deb talking about his past for the entire episode, or two, or three. Except they'd never, ever do that.

So Deb has decided the answer is to "cure" Dexter. She still loves him, and she hinted that she still loves him more than just as a brother. We all know there's a good person inside Dexter, that he's redeemable. It's why we watch. (It's why I watch.) But can she do it? My first reaction was, no way. But you know, he loves her enough to give it the old college try, and I was surprised that he called her instead of killing Greene.

Except that Greene doesn't fall under the provisions of Harry's code. Dexter wouldn't kill Greene under "normal" circumstances. (Normal for Dexter, that is.) The toys in Greene's apartment are set up in such an odd, creepy way, and Dexter in latex gloves and full threaten mode didn't stop him. So I'm guessing Greene may not have killed anyone yet, but that it's just a matter of time. Can Dexter justify a preventive murder? Not to Deb, I bet.

At any rate, that dinner with the extremely red spaghetti was just fascinating. I'm floored that Deb knows Dexter was the Bay Harbor Butcher, and that he told her something he's never told the audience before – how he feels when he needs to kill someone, the trickle of blood behind his eyelids, the blood turning black. Dexter was acting differently with Deb than he has in the past. His "nice Dexter" mask was off, his voice was deeper. Honesty is the first rule. Except that he didn't tell her the whole truth, did he? She didn't know Greene was in the hatchback.

(Why hasn't she asked about Rita? Or what really happened with Brian? It would be the first things I'd ask. Maybe it's coming.)

The B story centered on Wayne Randall, the repentant killer who got a couple of days in the sun next to the Frosty Swirl before he stepped in front of a truck. (Wow, that was a lot of blood.) He had a Brother Sam vibe, but instead of redemption, the message was that the only answer for Dexter is either imprisonment or death. Maybe this thing with Deb won't work out. I honestly don't know. And I love that I don't know.

Bits and pieces:

-- The first person Dexter told Deb he killed was the first person we saw him kill on this show: the choir master who was killing boys. Nice continuity.

-- Even though I feel it doesn't need one, this season's big bad is apparently Isaak Sirko (Ray Stevenson) who is such a passionless killer that he even let his lackey wipe off the murder weapon. I'm sure he'll eventually track Dexter down, and wackiness will ensue.

-- Quinn hitting on an exotic dancer? What else is new? It was funny that she was playing him.

-- Closing down the club multiple times apparently does prove that systematic harassment by cops does tend to work.

-- Maria is hot on the trail of the real Bay Harbor Butcher, which I'm betting will put Deb in a bad situation at some point. Of course, Deb is already in a bad situation, with her brother the serial killer under house arrest in her home.

Quotes:

Deb: "I am the worst fucking detective in the world."

Masuka: "Thank God. I was ready to blow you."
Dexter: "Not necessary."
Too funny.

Deb: "Yeah, well, I found a website how to cure a serial killer in ten easy steps. This is the first step."

Deb: "Are you seeing blood now?"
Dexter: "No. Just spaghetti."
Man, that was the reddest spaghetti sauce I've ever seen in my life.

Deb: "There have to be families out there more fucked up than us, but I sure as hell don't wanna meet them."

Masuka: "All this waiting around. It's like dating a born again Christian."

I absolutely loved this episode. Was it four out of four spaghetti dinners?

Billie
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Billie Doux loves good television and spends way too much time writing about it.

11 comments:

  1. Wow quick post Billie! I loved the episode too but kept asking myself how dexter could agree to stay with deb without Harrison. I know they visited him later but how can he go on living with deb while Harrison lives at his apartment with Jamie. Was kidnapping Greene just part of his plan to manipulate Deb to start trusting him again? Lots of people seem hot on his trail so I am excited to see what happens!

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  2. Nicole3938, I think leaving Harrison with Jamie was a condition of Deb's and they just didn't state it outright.

    I usually prefer to think about an episode for a day and rewatch before I finish writing, but I thought I'd try writing it directly after the episode for a change. I'll probably miss stuff that way. But if I miss something important, I'm sure someone will bring it up in a comment. :)

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  3. Really good episode. Jennifer Carpenter really deserves an award and I´m finding fascinating the talks between the brothers.

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  4. Totally agreeing with you all. Miss Carpenter gave us a stellar performance. Wow. (In a parallel Universe, quick ! we have to create a show featuring her and Micheal Emerson and a few great TV actors; that'd be spectacular)

    Quoting you Billie : " And I love that I don't know". Yes indeed, I used to watch a few shows after reading spoilers on the web, not a good thing. Now, I'm all excited about the possibilities this show will end...Oh boy. Oh my. Ten more eps and it's over.

    Great, great episode. Dexter at its very best. If they keep this level for the rest of the season, indeed, it will be an epic one.

    Oh ! Next week : blast from the past. (no spoilers, but I'll be happy to see this face again) (oh ya) (aw crap, still the Americanized accent)

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  5. Yes, it was quick, Billie, but I look forward to these, so great! Oh, my, the level of emotions Jennifer's performance sent me through, from the retching to the punch, I was so involved, teary, laughing and gasping through the whole thing. That is how to write 'Dexter'! Loved the bits of levity sprinkled into a very serious situation and also the unexpected deaths. It even felt like Matsuka was back on his game.

    The bad, the child care situation and how it's being handled, maybe Jamie should be explained as being the live-in nanny. What was with Dexter and Green's 5 o'clock shadows/beards? Still don't like what they're doing with Quinn, he's so one-note, also the actor needs to eat a little more, he looks scarily gaunt and it's distracting. Anyway, the writing seems like it's back on track, I'm impressed so far. Isn't there supposed be an 8th and last season? I think so.

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  6. I want them to continue with Louis because if it ends the way it has it would be a cope out " you insulted my game so I want revenge" I know they will prob carry on with Louis since it was one of the questions in season 6but I hope it just isnt because of the game. Overall a great episode

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  7. I know that Dexter is make believe, but I find myself too often asking "Who is watching the baby?" When Jamie was at Greene's house last season and Dex was out killing, who was watching Harrison? I wish Dex would send him to grandmas's house, which is what should happen here. Deb should insist on it. Send Harrison away for a few weeks while Dex sorts his shit out. If Jamie is a live in sitter, send her along too. Kill a couple of birds with one stone. As the mom of four boys, I just can't take myself outside of the worry over Harrison to settle into a lot of this story. Having said that, BRILLIANT acting by both Hall and Carpenter. What they showed us with their actions was priceless. Breaking Bad and Homeland may end up eating this at next year's Emmys.

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  8. Didn't hate the episode, but there were far too many questions that Deb didn't ask. It felt like they really couldn't be bothered with it, which takes the piss a bit after 6 season of build-up. She should be asking about every single person who ever has died around them. She might well do so in future episodes, but it should have been done way before she decided to try and change him.

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  9. If she knows hes the Bay Harbor Butcher wouldnt she ask what happened with Doakes? Like how the slides ended up in his car and how he ended being scapecoated as the Bay Harbor Butcher?

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  10. I think she will ask Dexter about Doakes, Rita, Trinity etc. It would be boring if the writers let her know what to do and ask right away. She is shocked and needs time to process all this. Isn´t in normal that the necessary question come to mind step by step?

    Btw, I think it´s strange and don´t like it at all how they (not) handeled the fact that Dexter has a son. I mean, he gets raised by the nanny most of the time, which is pretty odd, but know Jamie is practically the parent/guardian and Deb and Dex don´t care and Jamie doesn´t seemed to be surprised.

    The start of the season was quite good and I can only hope that they won´t ruin it like season 5.

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  11. It was a lot for Deb to figure out what Dexter was. Maybe going into all the details was to much for her. After all she did puke her guts out and have a mini nervous breakdown. I am sure she will get more info later in the show. It's only the second episode though and they have covered his life for the past six seasons so more should be on the way!

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